Amplified Bible
Esther 3:13
13Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth [day] of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar (March 7, 473 b.c.), and to seize their belongings as plunder.
Esther 3:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.
- New International Version (NIV)Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Letters were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.
Context of Esther 3:13
11The king said to Haman, “The silver is given to you, and the people also, to do with them as you please.” 12Then the king’s scribes (secretaries) were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to the king’s satraps (chief rulers), and to the governors who were over each province and to the officials of each people, each province according to its script (writing), each people according to their own language; being written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth [day] of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar (March 7, 473 b.c.), and to seize their belongings as plunder. 14A copy of the edict to be decreed as law in every province was published to all the peoples, so that they would be ready for this day. 15The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa. And while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was perplexed [by the unusual and alarming decree].
Read all of Esther 3Esther 3:13 word by word
וְנִשְׁל֨וֹחַ סְפָרִ֜ים בְּיַ֣ד הָרָצִים֮ אֶל־כָּל־מְדִינ֣וֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ֒ לְהַשְׁמִ֡יד לַהֲרֹ֣ג וּלְאַבֵּ֣ד אֶת־כָּל־הַ֠יְּהוּדִים מִנַּ֨עַר וְעַד־זָקֵ֜ן טַ֤ף וְנָשִׁים֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר לְחֹ֥דֶשׁ שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ אֲדָ֑ר וּשְׁלָלָ֖ם לָבֽוֹז׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the lettersסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: documentH5612
- were sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- byיָדyâd · hand: byH3027
- postsרוּץrûts · to run: runH7323
- into all the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
- to destroyשָׁמַדshâmad · to destroyH8045
- to killהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
- and to cause to perishאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
- all Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
- both youngנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- and oldזָקֵןzâqên · oldH2205
- little childrenטַףţaph · childH2945
- and womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- in oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- upon the thirteenthעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
- upon the thirteenthשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- of the twelfthשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- monthחֹ֫דֶשׁchôdesh · monthH2320
- Adarאֲדָר'ădâr · AdarH143
- the spoilשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998
- of them for a preyבָּזַזbâzaz · to plunderH962
Cross-references for Esther 3:13
- Esther 8:10He wrote [a decree] in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback, riding on the royal [mail] relay horses, the offspring of the racing mares.
- 2 Chronicles 30:6So the runners went throughout Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his officials, in accordance with the command of the king, saying, “O sons (descendants) of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob), so that He will return to those of you who escaped and are left from the hand (power) of the kings of Assyria.
- Job 9:25“Now my days are swifter than a runner; They vanish, they see no good.
- Jeremiah 51:31One courier runs to meet another, And one messenger to meet another, To tell the king of Babylon That his city has been captured from end to end;
- Romans 3:15“Their feet are swift to shed blood,
- 1 Samuel 15:3Now go and strike Amalek and completely destroy everything that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”
- 1 Samuel 22:19And he struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants; also he struck oxen and donkeys and sheep with the edge of the sword.
- Esther 8:12on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, the thirteenth [day] of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar).
- James 2:13For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; but [to the one who has shown mercy] mercy triumphs [victoriously] over judgment.
- Esther 8:11In it the king granted the Jews who were in every city the right to assemble and to defend their lives; to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force that might attack them, their little children, and women; and to take the enemies’ goods as plunder,
- Esther 9:10the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
- Isaiah 10:6I send Assyria against a godless nation And commission it against the people of My wrath To take the spoil and to seize the plunder, And to trample them down like mud in the streets.
Commentaries on Esther 3:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13To destroy, so kill, and to cause to perish - To put the whole of them to death in any manner, or by every way and means. Take the spoil of them for a prey - Thus, whoever killed a Jew had his property for his trouble! And thus the hand of every man was armed against this miserable people. Both in the Greek version and in the Latin the copy of this order is introduced at length, expressing "the king's desire to have all his dominions in quiet and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Present, the Jews keep three days - the 13th, the 14th, and the 15th of Adar - as connected with “the Feast of Purim;” but they make the 13th a fast, commemorative of the fast of Esther Esther 4:16, and keep the feast itself on the 14th and 15th of Adar.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-15Verses 7-15 Without some acquaintance with the human heart, and the history of mankind, we should not think that any prince could consent to a dreadful proposal, so hurtful to himself. Let us be thankful for mild and just government. Haman inquires, according to his own superstitions, how to find a lucky day for the designed massacre! God's wisdom serves its own purposes by men's folly. Haman has appealed to the lot, and the lot, by delaying the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13The phrase destroy, kill, and annihilate is repeated with irony in Esther 8:11 and 9:5. the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month: Haman's "lucky day," chosen by casting lots (Esther 3:7), was eleven months after the decree. By God's plan, this gave time to overcome the decree. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them. Haman cleverly bribed the potential executioners.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1512-15. Then were the king's scribes called ... and there was written--The government secretaries were employed in making out the proclamation authorizing a universal massacre of the Jews on one day. It was translated into the dialects of all the people throughout the vast empire, and swift messengers were sent to carry it into all the provinces. On the day appointed, all Jews were to be put to death and their property confiscated; doubtless, the means by…Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 3:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Esther 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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